Webcam furore sparks ICO warning

The Information Commissioner Christopher Graham has launched a media offensive to urge consumers to tighten up their passwords on all online devices, after a Russian site started playing live-feeds from thousands of webcams.
Over 500 UK webcams, including those broadcasting from business premises and even a child’s bedroom, are accessible from the site, while it is also showing nearly 5,000 from the US, 2,000 in France and 1,500 from the Netherlands.
As well as setting strong passwords instead of the default one that comes with the device, camera owners are being advised to check their equipment and turn off remote access if they do not need it.
Graham said he wanted to “sound a general alert”, warning “there are people out there who are snooping”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “It’s got more than 500 UK webcams where there is a facility for remote access to check what’s going on in the shop, what’s going on at home, how’s the baby. It is spooky but it’s the responsiblity of people who own the devices to sort it out.”
Graham admitted that the regulator is powerless to contact individuals as that would be a breach of the Computer Misuse Act as well as data protection regulations. However, he warned that it will contact businesses if they do not act over the issue.
In a blog post on the ICO website, group manager for technology Simon Rice said: “If you take only one security step when getting any new device, make sure it’s setting a strong password. The default passwords many manufacturers use are freely available online so make sure you get it changed. If the device doesn’t have a password, then, as a bare minimum, you should set one up.
“When choosing your password make sure it’s not one that can be easily guessed. Best practice is to use a password that contains a mixture of lower and upper case numbers, letters and characters – if you don’t; you’re potentially leaving your information vulnerable.”

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